


Starboy

by wildfrancium



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Trans Character, sci fi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 09:26:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15660402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildfrancium/pseuds/wildfrancium
Summary: Eric wants to fly. Aboard an airship, he's made mechanic for one of the most well known criminals. Despite having to work together, Eric is determined to prove he's such a great mechanic that he'll be granted his own fighter ship to fly.





	Starboy

**Author's Note:**

> Oh look another new big project because I can't stick to writing what I've got. Hope everyone enjoys. I just like space stuff.

Eric moved through the halls as silently as he could. The Falcon was a midsize battle cruiser that housed fifty Aces in its loading docks. Eric wanted to see them. The small attack ships were top of the line and he’d never seen one in person. He’d reviewed their mechanics since they were released, but his hands only touched outdated models full of mismatched parts.

He went down the neon blue halls finding it hard to believe they’d jumped out of the Milky Way a few hours before. He went to the Mars lift point for the pay. Corp Battle Cruisers were always picking up qualified personnel to fill their staff quota. 

CBC’s flew with transport ships and protected them from pirates. Most of the crew were bound to the ship on court orders instead of going into a mining camp. Eric knew the Captain was a free man, but the rest of the crew all wore shock collars. The fodder, like Eric, were just the poor from Earth looking for a way to put food in their mouths.

He got down to bay 10 and peeked through the window. The bay was dark with just the glow of emergency lights on. Eric slid his card through the lock pad at the door and with a resounding click, the door slid open. 

The Aces were premium fighters. Sleek chrome bodies painted with Corp colors. He hesitated before resting a palm on the cold metal. Top designers had spent months working on the design. It was top secret and highly anticipated. Eric had the radio on every day waiting for the announcement. 

When they were revealed, he knew he had to fly one. Somehow, someway he had to fly one. 

Before lifting to Mars, he’d taken his friends ID which got him into the comms department for the ship. He figured once he was on the ship he’d find a way into the cockpit. Most pilots were crew, but there had been plenty of fodder to get into the seat of a fighter. Usually older models, but Eric knew he was destined to fly one. 

All his long days in the mechanic shop had taught him he belonged in the air. In space. He wasn’t eligible to join the military and they were the only other people to fly fighters. So he had to take the alternate route. 

Lights flooded the bay and Eric whipped around. He felt his whole body go numb when he saw it was Kent Parson, lead pilot and high profile criminal. Eric had watched his trial on TV. A life sentence chained to the Falcon lest he die in combat. 

He was responsible for nearly a thousand deaths when he went rogue on a regular transport run. In the end, the cargo ship was lost as well as all the CBC’s with it. There were a handful of fighter ships rounded up to answer for the crime. Most of the information on the case was not released to the public, but everyone knew what Parse had done. What he’d admitted to doing. 

Eric watched Kent Parson walk towards him. He pulled his hand away from the Ace and hoped the bay door opened and sucked him into oblivion. 

“Now why is a little rat out of bed?” Kent Parson asked, grinning wide like a cat. Eric tried not to look at the Xs scarred into his arms and the backs of his hands. Rumor he put one on his body each time he killed someone. 

Eric stepped back, unsure of what to say. His eyes went to the silver band around Kent Parson’s neck. Only the Captain could shock them. 

“I...I was...I was…” Eric stuttered looking at the floor. Kent Parson reached out and tore Eric’s ID badge off his suit. Fuck. He was going to get ejected or court marshalled or something. 

“Huh Joseph Shah,” Parse read. “Funny I was just going to look for you,” he said with another predatory grin. Eric tried not to hyperventilate. Parse grabbed his wrist and yanked Eric after him. 

“I just wanted to see the Aces! Please just let me go back to bed and I won’t do it again!” Eric cried as he tripped after Parse. Parse ignored him, pulling Eric through halls and upstairs until Eric realized they were going to the Captain. 

When they stopped at the Captain’s office, Eric felt dread wash over him. He wanted to run, but there was nowhere to run to. 

The door slid open and he was pushed inside. Eric wondered if bursting into tears would save him. Whether or not it did he felt like crying.

He looked at Captain Jack Zimmermann. Anyone who had interest in airships had heard of him and his accomplishments. He was top of his class in flight school and was set to be one of the youngest Captains to be given a ship. Something happened though and the honor went to Kent Parson. He chose a CBC instead of regular military airships as they didn’t fly nearly as much. 

Captain Jack Zimmermann returned to the seen after a few years as a CBC Captain. Since his maiden voyage, all his transports had been successful with minimal casualties. 

“Parse,” Captain Zimmermann said. Parse nodded and the Captain’s eyes fell on Eric. Eric tried his best to stand tall. “I got an interesting message today,” the Captain said holding a file out. “It said that a one Joseph Shah was trying to be registered to another ship, but he was already on my ship. So would you like to explain?” he asked dropping the file on the desk. 

Eric swore. Joseph told him he’d never go to fucking space which was why he let Eric use his information. 

“Are you even a comms major?” the Captain asked. Eric looked at the floor. 

“No, I’m a mechanic,” he said quietly. The Captain sighed. 

“Mechanic is the easiest job to get on a CBC, so why say comms?” he asked. Eric felt nauseous. 

“My...I couldn’t...my...my ID has the wrong name and gender,” he whispered to the floor. The room remained silent and Eric felt tears threaten to spill. Changing his ID would have taken a full day and he couldn’t take time off to do it. “I didn’t have time and then-then suddenly I had to go. My-my mom, she works at a bakery, but they keep raising taxes. I worked at a mechanic depot six days a week so she could afford the bakery and now-now my dad is…” Eric trailed off. Tears fell as he thought about going to the hospital after his dads heart attack. They relied a lot on his teaching job, but he was told to stop working immediately. 

“What’s your name?” the Captain finally asked. Eric looked up, teary eyed.

“On my ID?” he asked fighting the urge to vomit. 

“No,” the Captain said to Eric’s relief. “What you use now.”

“Oh uh Eric Bittle, sir,” he said caught slightly off guard.

“Since you worked at a depot I assume it was all outdated models and small ones at that?” he asked and Eric nodded. The Captain looked at Parse. “Each Ace Fighter has it’s own mechanic. Parse just fired his when we were on Mars,” Captain Jack said turning back to Eric. “Learn fast.”

“Who says I want a new mechanic? I can just use Lardo,” Parse snapped. Eric was sure he saw the Captain roll his eyes. 

“She’d rather be in the air,” the Captain said. “Not helping your sorry ass. Eric will do it and you’ll fly sooner than doing it yourself.”

Parse grumbled something and crossed his arms.eric just stared at the Captain.

“Tomorrow you’ll report to hangar bay 1 to begin,” he said to Eric. “I’ll have a new ID issued and get someone in comps to change your information.”

“But I don’t-” Eric started to protest, but the Captain lifted a hand.

“We will put you in as Eric Bittle and we can change other things as long as you promise to give me the right information,” he said and Eric nodded. Relief flooded through him. 

“Thank you,” Eric said gratefully. Parse snorted. 

“Save your thank yous until after you’ve tried to work with Parse,” the Captain said picking up the file and shoving it into a shredder. “Welcome Aboard Bittle, now let’s all go to sleep.”


End file.
